• Obama: U.S. must reform "No Child Left Behind"
    47 replies, posted
[quote]President Obama on Monday called for a major overhaul to the Bush-era education policy "No Child Left Behind," emphasizing the need for more effective measurement tools in assessing the success of teachers and schools, and pledging that "we cannot cut [funding for] education" despite the nation's economic woes. In remarks at an Arlington, Virginia, middle school, Mr. Obama challenged Congress to send him an education bill to sign "before the next school year begins," and outlined a series of proposed reforms that he argued would make American students more competitive in the global arena. "The best economic policy is one that produces more college graduates," he told the audience at Kenmore Middle School. "We need to make sure we're graduating students who are ready for college and ready for careers." "We have to reform 'No Child Left Behind,'" he said, arguing that "the [program's] goals... were the right goals," but that the methodology of the legislation was not effective in actually producing them. The current iteration of the law has been largely criticized for imposing inflexible federal guidelines on schools and teachers, and abandoning institutions determined as "failing." [b]"What hasn't worked is denying teachers, students and states what they need to meet these goals," he said.[/b] Under the law as it currently stands, schools are graded on a pass-fail scale based on the results of standardized tests administered to students.[b] Failing schools - many of which serve low-income communities - are punished, and often shut down altogether or turned over to a charter operator or private firm.[/b] Presenting examples of schools that had successfully turned themselves around, Mr. Obama pledged his commitment to incentivizing improvement in schools, and announced the administration's decision to let local school districts apply to "Race to the Top" - a federal competition designed to reward states for major improvements in education. "Race to the top has led over 40 states to raise their standards for teaching learning and student achievement," Mr. Obama said. "But we need to make sure we're reaching every child in America - not just those in states or districts that take place in Race to the Top." [b]Mr. Obama emphasized the need to move away from labeling schools as "failing" based on standardized test scores alone, and said the system needed to "fix how schools are labeled and identified."[/b] Noting that he was "not talking about teaching to the test," Mr. Obama said "we do need to know whether [students are] making progress" - and reiterated the need for outstanding teachers, particularly in "some of our worst schools." "Teachers are doing a heroic job for their kids," he said. "In South Korea, teachers are known as nation builders. I think it's time we treated our teachers with the same level of respect right here in the United States of America." The president acknowledged that improving America's school system would require money, but argued that America couldn't afford to skimp on education. "Fixing our failing schools costs money," he said. "We cannot cut education. We can't cut the things that will make America more competitive." [b]"A budget that sacrifices our commitment to education would be a budget that's sacrificing our country's future," he added. "And I will not let it happen."[/b] "Yes, I am determined to cut our deficits - but I refuse to do it by telling the students here who are so full of promise that we were not willing to invest in your future," said Mr. Obama. [/quote] Source: [url]http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20042891-503544.html[/url] I'm glad to hear he wants to reform this law.
Annnnnd republicans are gonna fuck it up.
It's a Bush-era law. But to fight this law would be to fight the well being of children. So it's questionable if Republicans have the balls to challenge this bill. Perhaps beat the dead horse of "it costs to much"? In time it will become clear.
Progress! Fuck yeah!
Reform? In his State of the Union he said he wanted to completely remove it. As he should.
:foxnews: [B]WILL OBAMA'S NEW EDUCATIONAL PLAN MEAN THE DOWNFALL OF AMERICAN VALUES? MORE AT 10[/B] :foxnews: (This is of course a generalization, but that's pretty much what American politics appear to be for me in recent times)
I'm in favor of changing education overall but either way, No Child Left Behind really should go.
Oh hey...PUT MORE FUCKING FUNDING IN SCHOOLS!
I get the impression Republicans give their insane policies wonderful names like that just so Fox can say "Obama wants to abandon the children!" when they're inevitably challenged.
[QUOTE=cheesedelux;28602374]I get the impression Republicans give their insane policies wonderful names like that just so Fox can say "Obama wants to abandon the children!" when they're inevitably challenged.[/QUOTE] People want to name their policies and political stances after something that sounds like "the right thing to do" It's why we have pro-life and pro-choice to choose from instead of anti-choice and pro-abortion
or the R.A.V.E (Reducing American Vulnerability to Ecstasy) Act. Who doesn't love raves? [editline]14th March 2011[/editline] [QUOTE=cheesedelux;28602374]I get the impression Republicans give their insane policies wonderful names like that just so Fox can say "Obama wants to abandon the children!" when they're inevitably challenged.[/QUOTE] Democrats do that to, it's just politics.
It's been years and years of this failure of a program. Government gets clocks. Again.
In a couple of days Obama will backpedal and claim that he never said this.
[QUOTE=PvtCupcakes;28603457]In a couple of days Obama will backpedal and claim that he never said this.[/QUOTE] What's your reason for believing that? He basically announced this in his State of the Union address, which you clearly did not watch.
For some inexplicable reason, I feel that this is going to mess up horribly.
Fucking asshole republicans will never let this happen. Even though it is abso-fucking-lutely necessary to reform our broken-ass education system.
man i hate that(i'm a liberal personally) people claim that republicans will be the only people preventing this and blaming it entirely on them. [editline]14th March 2011[/editline] To be honest, it's everyone's fault for letting it last so long. It's a brilliant idea, but then you see it's effects and damn it sucks. [editline]14th March 2011[/editline] To be honest, it's everyone's fault for letting it last so long. It's a brilliant idea, but then you see it's effects and damn it sucks.
Better idea: get rid of it.
[QUOTE=Bryanrocks0;28601285]It's a Bush-era law. But to fight this law would be to fight the well being of children. So it's questionable if Republicans have the balls to challenge this bill. Perhaps beat the dead horse of "it costs to much"? In time it will become clear.[/QUOTE] It doesn't matter if God himself championed a law/regulation once upon a time, if a Democratic President suddenly supports it for one reason or another it suddenly becomes an abomination unto the Constitution.
[QUOTE=Matix;28603560]What's your reason for believing that? He basically announced this in his State of the Union address, which you clearly did not watch.[/QUOTE] With regard to the protests in Wisconsin, Obama said he supported the workers. Then a couple days later he said he had no opinion. [url]http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/21/us/politics/21democrats.html[/url]
Reform is the right idea, but let's see HOW he wants to reform it before everyone jumps on the bandwagon to blindly support whatever he says.
The problem with Obama is that he's trying too hard to satisfy everyone. He'll say "WE NEED TO GET RID OF THIS!" then the republicans will say "No we don't." and he'll respond with "Oh ok, we won't then :)" Essentially he's being a pussy and making himself look more republican than democrat.
[QUOTE=PvtCupcakes;28605624]With regard to the protests in Wisconsin, Obama said he supported the workers. Then a couple days later he said he had no opinion. [url]http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/21/us/politics/21democrats.html[/url][/QUOTE] The article describes Obama offering his support for the protestors and then later being told to back off by his staff, not a change in overall opinion.
yo yo im from harlem and we ball hard all day our test scores suk so ye dis is good for us ballers down in ny tryin to do it big
[QUOTE=lum1naire;28607435]yo yo im from harlem and we ball hard all day our test scores suk so ye dis is good for us ballers down in ny tryin to do it big[/QUOTE] Not sure if that was an attempt at racism or humour.
[QUOTE=The LocalFlavor;28607623]Not sure if that was an attempt at racism or humour.[/QUOTE] it was neither and both
My school lost its levy and like half the teachers got laid off. Then I got left behind. :saddowns:
[QUOTE=luverofJ!93;28604906]Fucking asshole republicans will never let this happen. Even though it is abso-fucking-lutely necessary to reform our broken-ass education system.[/QUOTE] The ones pulling the strings of the Republican party benefit best from the masses being uneducated - and so, easily swayed. They won't let this slide. Those who think for themselves support liberals. Those who would prefer to have others do the thinking for them are conservative. This is especially true when it comes to social and economic policy.
Reform? They should just through the whole thing out. It was a bastardization of educational reform, and did far more harm from good, nothing that any "reform" can fix, they need a new one.
[QUOTE=lum1naire;28607435]yo yo im from harlem and we ball hard all day our test scores suk so ye dis is good for us ballers down in ny tryin to do it big[/QUOTE] yee yeeeeeee! we be tryin to do dis lernin stuf but it aynt wrking out yo shiggedy ha ha no wat i meen cours u do anywys we nee to go n steel shit you no what i meen? hhahah
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